Mass. doctor convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the death of wife
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Mass. doctor convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the death of wife

Jurors reached a verdict Thursday in the trial of a Massachusetts urologist who is accused in connection with the death of his wife five years ago.Ingolf Tuerk was accused of killing his wife, 45-year-old Kathleen McLean, who was last seen at the couple’s Valley Road home on May 14, 2020. Her remains were found days later in a small pond not far from the couple’s Dover home, officials said.While the prosecution sought a conviction on the charge of first-degree murder, the jury convicted Tuerk of the lesser included charge of voluntary manslaughter. Tuerk cried as the verdict was read. Throughout the trial, Tuerk’s defense admitted the doctor took his wife’s life, but they dispute the way it played out. Prosecutor Lisa Beatty told the jury that the couple had a fight at their home in Dover in May 2020.”She wouldn’t let the past go, like she agreed. And so, he put his hands around her neck,” prosecutor Lisa Beatty said during her opening statement.Beatty told jurors Wednesday they should find Tuerk guilty of murder in the first degree, meaning it was deliberately premeditated and that the crime involved extreme atrocity and cruelty.”The defendant took the methodical and detail-oriented steps to dispose of Katie’s body in an effort to save himself,” Beatty said. Tuerk’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, argued the murder was not premeditated. He argued McLean struck first, hitting Tuerk in the head with a glass hours after he added her to the deed of his house.”The plan was on the part of Ms. McLean to get that house, his money, get his house and get him out,” Reddington told the jury. Tuerk cried on the stand Tuesday while testifying in his own defense and returned to the stand on Wednesday morning, where he faced cross-examination. “I didn’t like to cause death of another human being. I spent all my life to save lives. So I was pretty much in shock myself of what happened,” Tuerk said. During the questioning on Wednesday, Tuerk was grilled about his claims that he “blacked out” and has gaps in his memory from the incident. “There was no struggle, no fight, as far as I remember,” Tuerk said under cross-examination. “I reacted to the hit, I felt threatened, I defended myself and once I kind of recalled that I kind of came somewhat back, but I was still very intoxicated, we were both on the floor, and she was unresponsive.” Video below: Defense closing argumentVideo below: Prosecution closing argumentDuring tearful testimony on Tuesday, he said that McLean broke a glass over his head before he blacked out and grabbed her by the neck. She flailed around, he said, until she passed out.”She was not responsive. She was passed out. I asked her, ‘Katie, come on. Please, Katie, wake up,'” Tuerk said during his testimony Tuesday.”Did you realize she wasn’t waking up?” defense attorney Kevin Reddington asked.”She did not wake up,” Tuerk said.”What did you then do, sir?” Reddington asked.”Lifted her up and put her on the bed. Make her comfortable, and then I tried some CPR,” Tuerk answered.At the time of the incident, Tuerk was out on bail on pending domestic charges and was required to stay away from McLean, according to court documents. McLean had previously filed for divorce.Tuerk is a urologist who was featured on WCVB’s Chronicle in 2013 for his work with robotic surgery.In November 2019, he agreed to pay $150,000 in a settlement with then-Attorney General Maura Healey after he was accused of falsely billing MassHealth for equipment that was not being used in procedures.

Jurors reached a verdict Thursday in the trial of a Massachusetts urologist who is accused in connection with the death of his wife five years ago.

Ingolf Tuerk was accused of killing his wife, 45-year-old Kathleen McLean, who was last seen at the couple’s Valley Road home on May 14, 2020. Her remains were found days later in a small pond not far from the couple’s Dover home, officials said.

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While the prosecution sought a conviction on the charge of first-degree murder, the jury convicted Tuerk of the lesser included charge of voluntary manslaughter. Tuerk cried as the verdict was read.

Throughout the trial, Tuerk’s defense admitted the doctor took his wife’s life, but they dispute the way it played out.

Prosecutor Lisa Beatty told the jury that the couple had a fight at their home in Dover in May 2020.

“She wouldn’t let the past go, like she agreed. And so, he put his hands around her neck,” prosecutor Lisa Beatty said during her opening statement.

Beatty told jurors Wednesday they should find Tuerk guilty of murder in the first degree, meaning it was deliberately premeditated and that the crime involved extreme atrocity and cruelty.

“The defendant took the methodical and detail-oriented steps to dispose of Katie’s body in an effort to save himself,” Beatty said.

Tuerk’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, argued the murder was not premeditated. He argued McLean struck first, hitting Tuerk in the head with a glass hours after he added her to the deed of his house.

“The plan was on the part of Ms. McLean to get that house, his money, get his house and get him out,” Reddington told the jury.

Tuerk cried on the stand Tuesday while testifying in his own defense and returned to the stand on Wednesday morning, where he faced cross-examination.

“I didn’t like to cause death of another human being. I spent all my life to save lives. So I was pretty much in shock myself of what happened,” Tuerk said.

During the questioning on Wednesday, Tuerk was grilled about his claims that he “blacked out” and has gaps in his memory from the incident.

“There was no struggle, no fight, as far as I remember,” Tuerk said under cross-examination. “I reacted to the hit, I felt threatened, I defended myself and once I kind of recalled that I kind of came somewhat back, but I was still very intoxicated, we were both on the floor, and she was unresponsive.”

Video below: Defense closing argument

Video below: Prosecution closing argument

During tearful testimony on Tuesday, he said that McLean broke a glass over his head before he blacked out and grabbed her by the neck. She flailed around, he said, until she passed out.

“She was not responsive. She was passed out. I asked her, ‘Katie, come on. Please, Katie, wake up,'” Tuerk said during his testimony Tuesday.

“Did you realize she wasn’t waking up?” defense attorney Kevin Reddington asked.

“She did not wake up,” Tuerk said.

“What did you then do, sir?” Reddington asked.

“Lifted her up and put her on the bed. Make her comfortable, and then I tried some CPR,” Tuerk answered.

At the time of the incident, Tuerk was out on bail on pending domestic charges and was required to stay away from McLean, according to court documents. McLean had previously filed for divorce.

Tuerk is a urologist who was featured on WCVB’s Chronicle in 2013 for his work with robotic surgery.

In November 2019, he agreed to pay $150,000 in a settlement with then-Attorney General Maura Healey after he was accused of falsely billing MassHealth for equipment that was not being used in procedures.

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